AUGUST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 82

AUGUST.

O August, mingling The warmth and snow, Young breasts are tingling, And young cheeks glow. The willow blushes "With leaves astir, With joy-song thrushes Awake the fir. Less quickly closes The dusk of eves ; Thorns dream of loses And trees of leaves. O August weather, Life and death In thee together Have mingled breath. Joy-songs in sorrow Breathe first-love's balm, As cold days borrow The Summer's calm. The heart in glad hours Past grief forgets, — Enchained in flowers, Still Winter threats. O joy of youth AnS the youth of love! In very truth God's smile above; For though age fail In death the fierce, Youth's love- wrought veil He cannot r>ierce; Yea, though in truth He is cold and dim, Exuberant youth Hath vanquished him. In earth awakes The narcissus ; I/ove*G flower breaks Its bud in us. O Winter and Spring In the August weather! O pleasures that bring Young hearts together! Young hearts that scatter Joy's dews of laughter, Sighing, "What matter Though age come after?" And thou, O thou Of the milk and roses, Like a flower that now In the Spring uncloses ; Xiike a flower that lies In sunny beaming, Filling thine eyes With an utterless dreaming} O thou, whose charms With the Spring's have found me, Till warm , soft arms Are in dreams around me, — Our pulses tingle In crocus- weather ! Our dream-hearts mingl* „ Like dews together. O August blue, How carolleth All life anew In Love's sweet breath. In happiest hours We laugh and sing, While, buried in flowers/ Lies Winter's sting. The dusk of eves Less quickly closes, Trees dream of leaves And thorns of roses. — Johanxes C. Anderses. Christchurch, 1905.